The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Butterflies dates from 1902, when Whistler wrote from 74 Cheyne Walk to the publisher William Heinemann (1863-1920): 'The Butterflies are entirely wrong and will not do at all - The enlarged photographs ought to be sent to me to go over - and then they can be reproduced in small again.' ¹ This may have been for a new edition of Whistler 1892 [more], or another publication (however, the next edition of The Gentle Art did not appear until 1904).

This is catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1707).

Images

Subject

Description

Whistler's butterfly monogram, evolved from his initials 'JW'.

Technique

Technique

A number of drawings for the Gentle Art of Making Enemies in 1890 (ie. Three Butterflies m1243 and Three butterflies m1251) are on a curiously textured paper, which could have been specially prepared photographic paper. If this was the process, then the drawings would have then been re-photographed for publication.

History

Provenance

Unknown.

Exhibitions

It was not exhibited in Whistler's lifetime.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 1707) as 'Butterflies'.